Comodo park now ranks 8th in campaign

Yuli Tri Suwarni , The Jakarta Post , Bandung | www.thejakartapost.co.id

The Komodo National Park now ranks eighth in Group E (for forests, national parks and nature reserves), after more than 3,000 Indonesians voted online Sunday for the park to become one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature (N7WN).

During a road show in Bandung, West Java, to campaign for the park, at least 3,076 people in the city voted online for it to be recognized as one of the new seven natural wonders of the world.

These votes increased the ranking of the park, located in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), to eighth on the list of 56 nominees across the globe, the culture and tourism ministry's director general of marketing, Sapta Nirwandar said in Bandung.

The support from Bandung, he hoped, would increase after the road show on Monday, when the status of the Komodo park's ranking will be made known to the public.

Sapta said by July 7 this year, the park must be second on the list in Group E in order to contest the final round of the competition, sponsored by the New Open World Foundation.

"If it wins as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, it will be a good boost for Indonesia's image as an international tourist destination," he told a press conference during the road show.

The Sunday event featured a music concert in the Cihampeulas area to lure young voters. The campaign started on June 15, 2009, with the ministry opening the online voting booth and offering souvenirs and door prizes for visitors.

Sapta said the government is targeting an additional 20,000 votes for the Komodo park to add to the 10,000 votes collected since January this year.

From Bandung, the ministry will take the road show to Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Makassar and Medan.

Return of Sanur's 'La Dolce Vita'

Sanur is on the upswing again. The seminal destination for travelers in the 70s, when the number of hotels on Bali could be counted on one hand, it became overshadowed by the frenzied development of resorts on the other side of the island and was passed over in favor of more "happening" locations.

Now, with space and peace increasingly at a premium in the developed southern end of Bali, more and more people are choosing Sanur for its relaxed atmosphere and the strong ties it still enjoys with Balinese culture and traditions.

Use of color washes in the rooms, Capri white-and-blue in the beachfront restaurant, mix and match of Asian and European patterned fabrics are all featured throughout the hotel facilities.

Few places exemplify the upswing in Sanur's fortunes more than Hotel La Taverna. After almost forty years in business and some challenging times, not least of which was the aftermath of the Bali bomb, this historic hotel is looking to the future with renewed vigor.

"Last year was a great year for us and we have high hopes for this one too. So far we have not been badly affected by the global economic downturn. People are still booking as far ahead as Christmas," said General Manager Praba Maniam.

Riding the wave of optimism, the hotel is redefining its image while staying faithful to its history and bohemian character.

"La Taverna was one of the first hotels ever built on the island. It has true character and history. Many personalities have stayed here over the years, artists, writers, and musicians. It has a special feel. We keep this in mind when we start on a new project for the hotel," said English set designer Rupert Skinner, who is developing new design concepts for the hotel. To date these have included revisiting some of the rooms and redesigning the hotel's beachfront and pool areas to include its new restaurant Isola.

Built between golden sands of the Indian Ocean and verdant tropical gardens, Hotel La Taverna is a little slice of paradise that was founded in 1973 by brothers Peppino and Aldo Macchetti. The Italian entrepreneurs fell in love with Bali while on holiday here and found a good excuse to come back with the opening of the hotel. It was certainly a labor of love. Building supplies were hard to come by back then and the brothers employed every bit of their Italian ingenuity for bringing in things they needed for the construction of the hotel. Their Chinese junk was used to ferry friends and Italian design products between their base in Hong Kong and Bali.

"Once we had to jettison a load of Venetian mosaic tiles into Benoa harbor because of the import restrictions in place at the time. But we did manage to persuade friends, family and even clients of our Hong Kong restaurants to carry special heat-refracting bricks in their hand luggage when they came to visit us. We needed these bricks to build our pizza oven. The first pizza oven in Bali!" says Peppino with considerable pride.

Then, shortly after it opened, the hotel suffered a devastating fire and had to be rebuilt from scratch.

"It was tough," he says, "because we had to start all over again, but we managed. My younger brother Aldo relocated to Bali to supervise the works in progress and in July of 1973 we opened again. It was certainly different then. We had one generator that was powerful enough to provide light for the hotel and get a couple of air conditioning units going but that was it. It was a beautiful time. We had many well-known names and faces staying with us. Francis Ford Coppola during the filming of Apocalypse Now, Mick and Bianca Jagger on one of their very first trips to the Island. And of course, many of the people who have since settled in Bali, bringing their talent with them, have some tie to La Taverna. Take those monkeys for example," he gestured towards a couple of impressively large orangutans sketched in charcoal on white canvas with multiple arms, drinking, smoking cigars, and eating bananas. "They were painted by the Dutch artist Ian Van Wieringen in exchange for his bill, and now they watch over our restaurant."

Linda Garland, Bamboo Queen, interior designer extraordinaire and environmental activist literally set up shop on the beach just in front of La Taverna, selling clothes and swimwear of her own design back in the early 70s. And in his diaries the Australian artist Donald Friend speaks of the Chinese junk with red sails moored in front of La Taverna that belonged to the brothers, and of the riotous merrymaking coming from the environs of the hotel.

La Taverna's colorful history is also the basis for the new direction it is taking. Its old world charm is being interwoven with fresh and playful design concepts, drawing on Italian and European artistic traditions. The use of color washes in the rooms, Capri white-and-blue in the beachfront restaurant, and the mix and match of Asian and European patterned fabrics. As a sign of the happy union between past and present that characterizes La Taverna, Peppino has drafted his daughter Anouk to oversee the business. A tough act to follow, but one well worth the effort.

La Taverna offers rooms housed in traditional thatched bungalows, each with an outside space or veranda. Guests can also relax on the beach directly in front of the hotel, by the swimming pool, or in one of the gazebos set in the hotel's gardens. The spa, which offers a full range of beauty treatments and massages using natural oils and products, is a haven for those in need of some pampering. And if you need someone to look after your little ones while you enjoy any one of these activities, the friendly staff and management will be happy to arrange it for you.

Other hotel facilities include tour information and guides, chauffeur service, Wi-Fi Internet and Cable TV on request, international phone and fax service, same day laundry and dry cleaning, and safety deposit boxes. The La Taverna accepts all major credit cards. •

• La Taverna Bali
Jalan Danau Tamblingan 29, Sanur
(0361) 288-497; www.latavernahotel.com

Lombok's Gili islands make the perfect getaway

By Martin Jenkins, Contributor, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara - www.thejakartapost.com

It is said that if you want to know what Bali was like 20 years ago, then you should go to Lombok.

Much more laid back than its larger sister 45 km to the west, Lombok is a great antidote to the commercial excesses of Bali, where on some beaches at least, there now seem to be more hawkers than tourists and a moment's peace is as rare as a reasonably priced can of soda.

Many travelers visiting Lombok for the first time head for the wonderful Gili islands -- three coral ringed islands off the northwest coast of Lombok. Here there are dazzling white sand beaches that outdo Bali, with crystal clear aquamarine waters to boot.

The furthest of the islands from the mainland, Gili Trawangan, is also the largest of the three. Even so, it still takes less than three hours to walk around the whole island.

In a wise move, the authorities have taken the decision to ban cars and motorcycles from the islands, thus making for a much more relaxing stay. Instead there are cidomo -- a sort of horse and carriage. Although quite inexpensive to get around in, make sure you bargain before you accept the ride else you may be overcharged. Bicycles are also available for rent at around Rp 30,000 per day, but the going can get tough as the tracks around the island are very sandy in parts.

While Gili Trawangan has picked up the reputation of being something of a party island, you will be sorely disappointed if you come here expecting Goa style beach raves. In fact, despite a few low-key ""parties"" which are occasionally held by divers congregating at the Blue Marlin dive center, Gili Trawangan is so laid back it is virtually horizontal. And long may it remain that way.

There are plenty of inexpensive accommodations and eateries on Gili Trawangan, especially in the main strip toward the south of the island. Here you can find cozy bars and romantic candlelit restaurants, some of which have slightly raised dining areas where you can eat your meal at leisure as you stretch out your legs and rest on soft cushions.

Besides the usual Western fare, gado gado (vegetables in peanut sauce) and nasi goreng (fried rice) are also on the menu. For those unable to shut themselves off from the outside world, access to the World Wide Web is possible at the ubiquitous Internet cafes that have now set up shop.

Most of the accommodations on the island are of the simple bamboo hut variety, but better quality places to stay are springing up all the time, complete with hot water, air conditioning and satellite TV. But be warned: if you have sensitive skin and do not relish the prospect of seawater showers (fresh water is a rare commodity here and has to be brought in from mainland Lombok), your only option may be to stay at the island's upmarket resort hotel, Hotel Vila Ombak.

If it is solitude you are looking for, then head to the north of the island, where you are unlikely to be troubled by anyone. Days can pass by very quickly here as you relax in a hammock strung between two palm trees swaying in the gentle sea breeze.

The three Gili islands are still excellent for snorkeling despite the devastation wreaked by the El Nino weather phenomenon in 1998. Some 90 percent of the hard corals around the islands down to 20 meters suffered badly at the time from bleaching and are still recovering.

While you can snorkel directly from the beach, a good deal is to join the daily snorkeling tour at the very reasonable rate of Rp 35,000 per person. As the boat has a glass bottom, those unable to snorkel, such as young kids, can also have the opportunity to see a wide array of beautiful multicolored tropical fish and, if lucky, even the odd turtle. A tip here: bring your own snorkeling gear as the quality of the stuff available for hire leaves much to be desired.

When you need a break from the snorkeling, the sugary white beaches are a perfect place for relaxation and sunbathing. The few hawkers that ply their trade here are much less aggressive than in Bali, and when they realize you don't want what they are selling they quickly get the message. If the blazing tropical sun becomes too much to bear, shelter can be found under the palm trees that conveniently line the beaches.

If the weather is good -- which it usually is -- beautiful red sunsets can be seen, with the sun setting in the west over Mount Agung, Bali. Either head for Gili Trawangan's northern coast else climb the island's 100-meter-high hill (going up here is the only time you are likely to venture into the island's interior during your stay).

As for Gili Air and Gili Meno, they are even quieter than Gili Trawangan. Accommodations and restaurants are basic, but then that's part of the charm. If you need more facilities, it's more convenient to stay on Gili Trawangan and make day trips to these two islands.

Komodo Island: Lizards, legends and natural beauty

By Adji Kurniawan, Contributor, Komodo Island - www.thejakartapost.com

Once upon a time, a mystical lady called the Dragon Princess lived on a barren and remote island. She was married to a man named Najo. She conceived and gave birth to an egg she kept in a cave. A komodo dragon hatched out of the egg and was given the name Ora. A child, Gerong, was born at the same time.

As a youth, Gerong went out to hunt deer in a forest. He ran into Ora, who wanted to eat the deer being pursued. Gerong became enraged and was on the verge of killing Ora. The princess appeared at the last moment to remind them that they were twins. Gerong calmed down and behaved kindly toward Ora.

Locals on Komodo Island, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), believe the story above dates back to time immemorial. The old folk tale about the origin of the giant komodo lizard has become an enduring island legend.

Remembering this myth, islanders treat the lizards they call Ora humanely. They feed aged komodos who are no longer capable of stalking prey, while the youngsters are free to chase deer and other animals in the forest. Thus, there are thousands of these rare dragons today.

The cave where Ora is said to have hatched is called Loang Atawini, on southern Komodo Island. There, the grave of Najo is also highly venerated. The Dragon Princess herself has no burial place, because locals feel certain that she is immortal and comes back when necessary to protect the island.

Komodo village is located around two kilometers west of Long Liang, a local sea terminal and village. Its inhabitants live in closely built houses on stilts, some 200 meters from the sea. With wooden walls and galvanized iron roofs, the large dwellings are usually occupied by several families. Behind their homes are open fields where village youths play football. Motorboats and sampans are moored off the coast. The village also has a mosque.

The island's barren, wild and remote conditions seem to defy human habitation. But people have lived on Komodo for a long time, long before the island's conversion into a national park. Hunting and occasional fishing used to be their livelihood. After they moved, they were banned from hunting. Now they are mostly fishermen, with some working as vendors and craftsmen producing wooden komodo replicas.

Komodo villagers consider themselves indigenous to the island because of their decades of occupation and their spiritual bond with the dragons. But are they? That is hard to prove. However, records indicate they are descendants of the Bajau or Bajo ethnic group from South Sulawesi. They settled in Komodo and have since been living in harmony with nature, including komodo lizards.

Magnet

The old story and the Komodo culture are only part of the charm the island has to offer. Various beautiful places can be found in Komodo National Park (TNK), including Banu Nggulung, Merah Beach, Poreng-Sabieta, Mt. Ara and Mt. Satalibo. Komodo lizards also remain a major magnet bringing tourists to the island.

Komodos are the last surviving monitor lizard species capable of reproduction. The cold-blooded reptiles were first discovered by a Dutchman, JKH Van Steyn, in 1911. They became famous in the world of science in 1912, after researcher and biologist Mayor PA Ouwens in his article ""On a Large Varanus Species from the Island of Komodo"" gave the dragons a scientific name, Varanus komodoensis.

The prehistoric lizards can reach over three meters long and weigh as much as 90 kilograms. Besides Komodo Island, they are scattered on Rinca Island and a number of surrounding islets. Rinca's dragons are a bit fiercer, with yellowish skin. Komodos are solitary animals, very seldom seen in groups except in Banu Nggulung.

Banu Nggulung is the location to watch and photograph komodos with ease. Some two kilometers east of Loh Liang, it is 45 minutes' walk along village paths lined with lush vegetation that for the most part resembles the trees of Darwin, Australia. This is due to the effect of the dry winds that sometimes blow into the area from that country.

Large, wild komodos often appear on the route to Banu Nggulung, poised to devour the unwary. Therefore, visitors are not allowed to walk alone; they must be accompanied by national park guides or forest rangers.

Pantai Merah, which means Red Beach, is among the island's most gorgeous spots. Tourists often call it Pink Beach. Its name comes from the reddish sand that covers its sloping shore. A favorite of sunbathers, the beach is also an interesting place for swimming, snorkeling, diving and fishing, since it offers a magnificent coral reefs as well as diverse commercial and ornamental fish species. Some tourists claim that its aquarium fish and coral are among the best found in Indonesia.

Komodo Island also boasts a beautiful panorama of two brownish hills, Poreng and Sabieta, with expanses of grassland and rows of palmyra trees. Wild buffaloes frequently graze there, and tourists who are lucky can see blackish adult komodos searching for their prey.

Poreng-Sabieta, 10 kilometers east of Loh Liang, can be reached via a footpath. It has a grave marked with a white cross in memory of a foreign tourist who was swallowed by a komodo dragon. According to reports, the man was taking pictures. He dropped his guard, and the giant lizard assaulted and devoured him. Nothing was left except his hair and the camera. The grave is intended to honor his soul and at the same time serve as a reminder to visitors to remain vigilant.

Another lovely spot is Mt. Ara, which is 510 meters above sea level and has a campground. One can get there via an 8-kilometer path from Loh Liang. Finally, Mt. Satalibo is the farthest destination from Loh Liang. With an altitude of 735 meters, it is the tallest mountain on Komodo. One can see the whole panorama of the island, including the sea and nearby islets, from its summit.

How to reach Komodo kingdom

Komodo Island draws wealthy tourists and backpackers alike. Those with money to spend often visit the island after Bali and Lombok. Spice Island Cruises and Evening Star are among the luxury ships that ply the route.

Tourists who are adventurous or short on cash go by bus, passenger ship and ferry. According to some backpackers, the ferry journey is more challenging because of the storms that frequently break out in Batu Tiga waters, between Labuanbajo and Komodo. The violent storms locals call kala-kala have swallowed a motorboat and a ferry, claiming passengers' lives.

Labuanbajo, Flores, is the gate to Komodo and the other islands within the Komodo National Park (TNK). The other entrance is Sape, on Sumbawa Island in West Nusa Tenggara. Tourists can take a ferry from Labuanbajo or Sape and disembark in Komodo Island waters before proceeding by sampan to the Loh Liang terminal. Fishermen's motorboats or speedboats can also be hired at negotiable fares. It takes 4 hours to travel from Labuanbajo to Loh Liang by motorboat. A speedboat takes only about an hour, but is more expensive. It is cheaper to visit Rinca Island due to its proximity to Labuanbajo.

You can reach Labuanbajo by any major form of transportation. It takes four days by bus or sea from Jakarta. In order to save time, visitors can fly from Jakarta to Mataram, Lombok, and then go by bus to Sape and further by speedboat to Loh Liang.

The Loh Liang tourist village is the gate and ticket counter for Komodo Island. It has complete facilities, such as a forest rangers office, a hostel that houses dozens of guests at reasonable rates, a cafeteria offering typical seafood and a cooperative selling souvenirs. For a tour of Rinca Island, tickets are available in Loh Buaya. Rinca, also providing accommodation, has a five-kilometer path through a hilly area where tourists can see long-tailed monkeys, wild horses and komodos.

Remote land

Komodo National Park feels like a remote area. That is because its natural and geographic conditions are different from most other regions in the country. Some of its islands are hilly, the results of centuries-long geological shifting. Other islets were formed by coral reaching as high as 200 to 400 meters.

The climate is relatively dry, with average rainfall of 800 to 1,000 millimeters. Its rainy season, which runs from January to April, and its longer dry spell affect the forms and types of flora and fauna. Its vegetation is dominated by grassland interspersed with tamarind, waru (hibiscus), wild cotton, kesambi (lac) and lontar (palmyra) trees.

The park has a combination of mangroves, seasonal and tropical rain forests, which are not as dense as the jungles of Java, Papua, Kalimantan and Sumatra. Its wildlife has only about 185 species, representing such Asian-Australian transition species as eagles, pigeons, cockatoos, Timorese deer, snakes, wild horses, and komodos. But its marine creatures are diverse: a survey by an international agency found that TNK waters contained around 900 marine biota species, including over 100 fish species like napoleon, groupers, red snappers and rayfish, as well as 260 species of coral, especially Acropora sp. Dolphins, sharks and blue whales are often found, too.

Covering an area of almost 220,000 hectares, the TNK mainly comprises Komodo (33,937 hectares), Rinca (19,625 hectares) and Padar (2,017 hectares), plus Gili Motang and a number of islets and their waters. Flanked by two provincial borders, it lies in the Sape Strait between the western tip of Flores and the eastern tip of Sumbawa.

Given the natural wealth, beauty and unique features of Komodo Island and its adjacent islets, the government declared the entire zone a national park on March 6, 1980, with the primary aim of protecting komodos and their habitat. UNESCO designated it as a Natural World Heritage Site in 1991. Under the Soeharto government, komodo dragons were declared the national animal in 1992. And in 1997, UNESCO declared it a Man and Biosphere Reserve.

Private bliss at Panambungan Island

By Arif Suryobuwono , Contributor , Makassar | www.thejakartapost.com

Trinissa is the 5-year-old daughter of Erwin Aksa, the chairman of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association and the president director of eastern Indonesia's well-known Bosowa Group of companies, owned by his father, Aksa Mahmud. Erwin's aunt is the wife of Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

This intimate knowledge of the wealthy and well-connected is conveyed to me by Captain Nurdi Cahyo, head of the berthing section of the harbor master department at the Sixth Naval Base, Makassar.

Trinissa is also the name of Erwin's Rp 8 billion Bertram yacht, which he uses to entertain his VIP guests, and transport passengers from Hotel Imperial Aryaduta Makassar, a property owned by the Aksa Mahmud family, to Panambungan, a private island owned by the family.

Departing from the mainland at about 9 am and returning at 4 p.m., it is a 45-minute trip to the island on Trinissa. The trip costs Rp 400,000 per passenger and includes a lunch of fried rice, and if you are quick enough, some snorkeling gear. "We used to have 20 of them," the captain said, unable to explain why the rest had disappeared. I managed to get one after hours of waiting.

Panambungan is a small island about the size of two soccer fields and is one of the 18,110 islands that make up the Indonesian archipelago.

"If you really want, you can dive into the waters off the island, which is now the gravesite of many used cars *former Bosowa taxis*. There are no great diving sites," Nurdi said adding, "For diving, many people from Jakarta go further north to the Kapoposang National Marine Park. The trip from Makassar to Kapoposang is three times as long as the trip to Panambungan."

The water around the island is clean and it was delightful to spend a Saturday there swimming in the afternoon sun, snorkeling, treading on white sand, and admiring casuarinas and other types of pine trees. Big trees with cherry-like fruit that scattered autumnal colored leaves on the ground, and the sweet-smelling jasmine plants, added to the beauty.

Inter-tidal-like pools had formed along some parts of the island. Sprinkled with reefs and some debris, the clear light-blue water is too shallow for swimming. Snorkeling though, you are likely to spot small simple-colored fish, some silvery, swimming here and there around dull-looking coral and equally lackluster anemones.

However, lurking in the clear clean water, are tiny translucent jelly fish locally called "ice jelly fish", which cause severe itchiness if they make contact with the skin. There is also a sort of oval-shaped flat fish camouflaging itself to resemble a thin mound of sand. Perhaps it was a Sting Ray. It seemingly felt my presence and slithered away. Later, after exploring some other parts of the shallow water, I went back to that spot, but this unidentified underwater object had gone.

The structures built on the island are still very rudimentary, including the toilets and the bathrooms. That's why I decided to take a bath when I returned to my hotel in Makassar. Some people decided to stay at the rudimentary bungalows on the island, paying Rp 500,000 per night not including breakfast, according to Mery, the secretary of the hotel's sales department. Nurdi and Mery told me there is a two-year plan to turn the island into a properly built and managed resort with amenities similar to the cluster of resort islands just off Jakarta.

On the way back to Makassar I sat on the second story of the Trinissa in front of the steering wheel. The triangular transparent plastic window in front of me had been rolled up and the open sea before me was like a rhapsody in blue.

Holding the right and the left hand steel bars that make up the triangular window, I stood up. The strong wind and the pace of the yacht made me feel like I was flying. The flying sensation faded away when the contours of Makassar emerged on the horizon. Memories of the island suddenly flashed in my mind, prompting me to turn

Borobudur at the crossroads

By Sunita Sue Leng , CONTRIBUTOR , Borobudur, Central Java | www.thejakartapost.co.id

The best time to visit Borobudur Temple is at dawn. That is when Central Java’s magnificent World Heritage monument is enveloped in cool mist and peace.

That is when you will be able to climb the ancient stones in near solitude and be rewarded with a view of the candi’s rotund stupas – 72 in total – rising majestically out of the mist with the first rays of the sun.

Of course, you don’t actually have Borobudur to yourself. When I went, I was surprised to find 20 to 30 others on the highest terrace of the monument, waiting impatiently for the sun to come up.

They were mostly foreign tourists, some with fancy cameras on tripods, some with little children. However, it was relatively quiet and I felt very fortunate to be able to visit this historic gem in such serene circumstances.

This was my second visit to Borobudur, and how different it was from the first. I had come the day before and made the mistake of coming on a Sunday. The entrance at the foot of the monument was already buzzing with people eager to set foot on the monument and as I looked across the length of Borobudur Park, I could see a never-ending stream of people making their way toward the entrance.

Once past the entrance, it was quite a challenge trying to navigate the stairways. The narrow stone stairways were choc-a-bloc with people, so climbing was a slow process, often with a view of nothing else but someone else’s posterior. When I got to the top, several visitors, mostly teenagers or children, were seated on top of the stupas, despite signs forbidding visitors to do so.

Strewn across the floors of Borobudur’s many terraces was litter – cigarette butts, empty bottles of mineral water, plastic bags. The few dustbins that were available were already full to the brim. It was not a pretty sight.

According to the authorities, Borobudur gets about 2.5 million visitors a year, the bulk of whom are Indonesians. When I went, schools were on their year-end break so a high proportion of the visitors that day were large groups of excited students on school outings. The rest were mostly families from neighboring provinces who had come on holiday, and a handful of foreign tourists accompanied by their guides (or guidebooks).

It is comforting to know that so many people make the effort to visit Borobudur. After all, the monument is a present-day window to Indonesia’s glorious past. It is also an enduring memento of the advanced level of craftsmanship that prevailed in Java at a time when Western Europe was struggling through its Dark Ages.

Built in the eighth and ninth centuries, Borobudur houses a staggering 2,672 relief panels, many exquisitely detailed, as well as 504 Buddha statues. At the summit, a gigantic central stupa rests on a massive lotus-shaped base half a meter thick, making this the largest Buddhist stupa in the world.

Borobudur is a place of pilgrimage for those of the Buddhist faith. Its passages were designed for monks to circumambulate the edifice in silent prayer. Along the lower square terraces, they would be flanked by carvings such as the biography of the Lord Buddha, from his descent from heaven until his enlightenment, which is depicted on the main wall of the first gallery.

As they ascended to the higher circular terraces, they would be surrounded by unembellished stone walls, representing Buddhism’s Sphere of Formlessness. Above them, the main stupa – which is empty, signifying Nirvana – would soar into the sky. Today, Buddhist rituals are still carried out at Borobudur on auspicious days such as Waisak.

On top of this, Borobudur lies amid great natural beauty. As I stood atop the candi’s highest tier, I was almost eye to eye with Mount Merapi, the still-active volcano that soars 2,911 meters in the northeast. It was wrapped in fluffy clouds, while on the ground, green rice paddies stretched for miles.

On the western and southern edges, the Menoreh hills rose and fell. This is the geographical center of Java. Called the Kedu Plain, it is also known as the Garden of Java as it has been made unusually fertile and lush by volcanic earth and the intersection of two rivers, the Progo and the Elo.

Little wonder, then, that so many are drawn to Borobudur, which is already under threat, even without the crowds. According to the Borobudur Heritage Conservation Institute, acid rain has damaged some of the carvings, while global warming could cause more fissures and cracks in the monument’s stones.

The growing number of tourists to Borobudur, which is managed by PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko, add further strain. Litter is not just unsightly; the remnants of cigarettes or sugary drinks could damage the porous surfaces of the monument’s stones. Overcrowding along the steep stairs holds the risk of accidents, should a child or elderly person slip and fall.

Poorly supervised youngsters mean unnecessary touching of carvings, or worse, climbing onto statues and stupas, contributing to erosion of its more fragile surfaces. Painstakingly restored in the ‘70s and ‘80s with help from UNESCO, the Borobudur temple is a grand inheritance that every Indonesian should be proud of, regardless of religion. It would be a shame to let it succumb today to modern-day tourism.

Mt Anak Krakatau`s eruptions record tremendous increase

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Small eruptions of Mt Anak Krakatau, the volcano in the Sunda Strait near Lampung province, till Wednesday were reported to have recorded a tremendous increase during the past few days, while the status of the volcano remained at the third level of alertness.

At least 828 small eruptions were recorded to have happened on the volcano with 63 volcanic quakes, 434 tremors and 366 times of emission in the past six days, said Anto Prambudi, head of Mt Anak Krakatau Monitoring Post in Pasauran village, Serang district, Banten province, on Wednesday.

According to him, in the past five days the volcanic quake of Mt Anak Krakatau showed a rise in its activity. In fact, the frequency of the quake and small eruptions took place in every three minutes interval.

At present, the condition of Mt Anak Krakatau is in a state of danger, as it spewed glowing lava like gravel with a temperature standing at 600 degree celcius. "Whover hit by the small molten lava will die," he said.

Therefore, the center for volcanology and geological disaster mitigation (PVMBG) of the Energy and Mineral Resources Department in Bandung only issued a recommendation that in a radius of three kilometers from the point of eruption was declared as dangerous zone.

The increasing eruption was marked with white smoke billowing from the mountain`s crater in a height of 800 meters to the north. The smoke could be clearly seen from Anyer and Carita beach which is only 42 km away from the volcano.

In the meantime, Nurmanah (45), a visitor of Nusa Dua Hotel in Anyer beach said the white smoke billowing from the top of the mountain and reddish molten rocks from its crater could be clearly seen in the evening.

"We are lucky to get such technical guidance at the hotel to directly see the white smoke billowing as well as the spewing of molten rocks from the mountain," she said.

In response to increasing seismic activity around Mt. Anak Krakatau, trekking and hiking activities have been banned in the area. The mountain, which experienced increasing seismic activity since April this year has been erupting on a daily basis.

"We advise tourists, fishermen, to stay away from the mount`s three-kilometer radius area. It is unsafe for them to be in the area, as there are strong indications of increasing seismic activities including the emission of hazardous gas," said.

In addition, the rising activity of Mt. Anak Krakatau was also reported to have attracted some Australian and European visitors, a tourist guide at Carita Beach resort in Pandeglang, Imam Faisal (35), said.

"Tens of Australian and European tourists come here every day to observe the eruptions of Mount Anak Krakatau on Sunday. Many of the foreign tourists took pictures of the eruptions as the happening was something of great interest in their respective countries," he said.

"This is because Anak Krakatau is possibly the only volcano in the world that rises from the sea," he said adding that Anak Krakatau had become a legend as its eruption in 1883 killed 36,000 people.

Officials at the Anak Krakatau Monitong Post in Pasauran village, Cinangka sub district, Serang district, said the volcano`s activity was on Friday marked by 182 eruptions coupled with 11 volcanic quakes, eight deep volcanic tremors, 54 shallow volcanic shocks, 44 tremors, and it also spewed smoke 29 times.

But none of the phenomena posed a direct threat to human life. There were even 2-minute tectonic shocks but also not dangerous.

Budiman of the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center in Bandung, West Java, said the number of eruptions, volcanic shocks and tremors throughout Friday had declined compared to Thursday when there were 195 eruptions followed by 7 deep volcanic tremors, 49 shallow volcanic shocks and 18 tremors.

All this meant that Anak Krakatau`s activity was still fluctuating each day. There were no major eruptions and volcanic shocks such as had happened in 1883.

On Saturday, Anak Krakatau was still spewing molten rocks, hot clouds, and toxic gas, and had remained at the third level of alertness, Budiman said.

He therefore urged visitors and fishermen to stay away from the foot of Anak Krakatau.
Learning a rising activity of MT Anak Krakatau, some coastal residents living close to Mount Anak Krakatau, off the Sunda Strait in Lampung, were reported to have evacuated to Bandarlampung for fear of imminent eruption of the volcano due to increased volcanic activity, despite the fact that its alert status remains at three.

Sonhaji, 45, a resident of Bawang village, Punduh Pidada district in South Lampung, said he took his family to his relative`s house in Bandarlampung on April 18, as he was afraid that Mount Anak Krakatau would have a major eruption, as it has been producing small eruptions over the past week.

"The distance between our village and Anak Krakatau is more than three miles, but the sound of eruption that it produces is very loud, like the sound of a cannon in the middle of the sea," he said.

"So far it has never emitted such loud blasts and we have been observing that it has often discharged molten lava," Sonhaji said adding that fishermen had been afraid of fishing around the volcano and the Sunda Strait over the past week.

South Lampung district head Wendy Melfa said his office was coordinating with the Natural Disaster Mitigation Agency in anticipation of the possibility of an eruption.

"The status of the volcano remains alert as of now, but we are helping people to evacuate because they are terrified. We have also informed islanders around the volcano not to panic," Wendy said.

The best-known eruption of Krakatau culminated in a series of massive explosions on August 26-27, 1883, which was among the most violent volcanic events in modern and recorded history.

With a volcanic explosivity index (VEI) of 6,[2] the eruption was equivalent to 200 megatons (MT) of TNT about 13,000 times the nuclear yield of the Little Boy bomb (13 to 16 kT) that devastated Hiroshima, Japan during World War II and four times the yield of the Tsar Bomba (50 MT), the largest nuclear device ever detonated. (*)

By Eliswan Azly - www.antara.com

Bunaken Island: A return to the beauty of the deep

By Arief Suhardiman , The Jakarta Post , Bunaken, Manado | www.thejakartapost.co.id

"Let's dive!" my dive guide Kennedy exclaimed the moment we set foot on Bunaken Island, an underwater mecca just off the coast of Manado in North Sulawesi.

It seemed he did not want to waste any time. Plunging into the deep, we were soon welcomed by thousands of small fish, from Butterflyfish to Angelfish and Triggerfish, swimming around us in every direction.

You can't always find such a diverse range of fish species at just one dive site. Lekuan II and Lekuan III are two of the best sites in the vast Bunaken National Marine Park in North Sulawesi, which is widely regarded as one of the best tropical dive regions in the world. One of the most memorable moments during my first visit to Bunaken four and a half years ago was having my dive mask "kissed" by hundreds of little fish.

Near the surface, the clear, calm conditions allowed me to see the stark contrast between the bodies of water surrounding Bunaken Island. On one side of the "Great Wall", a steep volcanic structure teeming with marine life, the dark blue waters plunge off into nothingness while on the other side, the crystal turquoise shallows indicate the presence of soft and hard corals.

The wall has long been considered a top dive site due to the abundance of corals and sea critters but also because it remains quite a challenge. At most dive sites, one must get close to the sea bed to get a good look at the coral gardens and creatures, but Bunaken's vertical wall diving offers something entirely unique.

Diving at the Lekuan II site feels like flying alongside the edge of a skyscraper. The beauty of the wall is laid bare for divers to enjoy - corals and sea plants are perfectly structured like in an art gallery.

Other than soft and hard corals, the vertical wall offers columns where fish live in species groupings. They often reside in overhangs, which are sections of the wall that have grown upward.

We dived along the wall until we reached a depth of 30-meters. Luckily, the relatively calm conditions provided visibility of around 25-40 meters, enhancing the colorful scenes before us.

While drifting - a style of diving where you follow the current - I saw thousands of fish 'dancing' to the pulse of the oceans movements. A Clownfish, guarding the tentacles of an anemone, swam in and out of its colorful house. A few Bannerfish with yellow, white and black stripes calmly circled a sea fan coral.

At this depth, we were also blessed with spotting a green turtle resting on a large coral structure. When it swam gently across the great wall, my first reaction was to approach it, but I reassessed my choice not wanting to scare it away.

Having got a snap of this giant creature of the deep, I saw a school of Jackfish (Trevally) known by locals as ikan bobara. Their bodies were shining with a silverly sheen in the water. A 1.5-meter tuna gigi anjing (Dog Tooth Tuna) also swam by gallantly.

No sooner had the tuna left my view than I came across another giant fish of the sea, the Napoleon Wrasse. It was more than a meter long and guarded by hundreds of small Triggerfish. Due to the distance, I didn't manage to get a shot, but was satisfied enough to surface from my first dive at Lekuan II.

On the boat, Kennedy said the Napoleon Wrasse were on the verge of extinction because of illegal fishing.

"That [illegal fishing] is still rampant here," he said.

The high demand for Napoleon Wrasse on overseas markets lures fishermen to hunt rare fish.

"Taiwan and Hongkong markets are willing to pay high prices for this kind of fish. And local fishermen usually sell their catches to foreign ships they meet at sea, so they don't have to sell them at local markets," Kennedy said.

For my one-hour surface interval break, I had some lunch and prepared for the second dive, this time at Lekuan III just adjacent to the prior site.

This time the sea was filled with a richness of small fish like Anthias and Fairy Basslet, which are very friendly species to divers. Just like at Lekuan II, we did vertical wall diving. At this site we could see a small canyon.

On both sides of this incredible structure rested sea fan corals and Feather Stars. I could also spot Napoleon Wrasse and Bumphead Parrotfish swimming casually among some sea whips.

But my eyes were soon drawn to a whitish-blue creature glued to a soft coral. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a Nudibranch - the gem for macro photographers. Spotting a school of Orbicular Batfish, I eventually called it a day.

Plastic waste floats on Manado waters

Emerging from the water, we were taken aback by the presence of garbage and pollutants on the surface of the water. Plastic bottles, instant noodle packages and plastic straws were like a carpet across the surface. This was not the kind of thing you want to remember from your dive trip.

A few days before embarking for the island I walked along the coastline at the Manado Boulevard and noticed it was covered with plastic waste. It appeared that the waste washing up at Bunaken Island was coming directly from Manado city.

"Many people are ignorant when it comes to dumping waste in the sea. They don't understand that plastic can hurt coral reefs. Pollution blocks the sun from penetrating the sea where coral reefs live. Without the sun, sooner or later the coral reefs will die," Kennedy said.

But plastic waste is one of many environmental problems afflicting the area. A massive reclamation project along the beach at the Manado Boulevard is an eyesore. By comparison, 4.5 years ago I could see the beach from the highway, but now all that is visible are the stoic structures of shops and offices.

A fisherman attends his boat at a reclamation site

I could see the development from Bersehati Manado harbor reaching to Manado Convention Center - one of the venue for the World Ocean Conference (WOC) and the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Summit recently - area.

Lisa, a German who has dived in Indonesian waters for the past 15 years, said she was worried about the rate of construction along Manado beach.

"Manado used to be the benchmark of marine biodiversity. I used to compare it to every place I visited. Well, now I am comparing Manado to what it used to be like 15 years ago, I'm disappointed to see less marine life and coral. Instead of boosting eco-tourism, the government is killing it with this land reclamation," she said.

"Now I have to find a new destination that can replace what Manado used to be like."

Heaven forbid the waters of Manado end up like the Seribu Islands off Jakarta Bay, a very possible reality if these reclamation projects continue. However, I still have high hopes that events like the WOC and the CTI Summit will help save Bunaken Island from any further damage.

Candi Sumberawan: Little guardian of the springs

By. Retno K. Djojo , Contributor , East Java | Fri, 06/19/2009 11:43 AM | www.thejakartapost.co.id

Rough idea: Two models of stupas sit near a heap of andesite blocks, lying idle as they are no fit substitute for the real – and missing – thing. JP/Retno K. Djojo

The mountainous heartland of East Java, once the seats of the Kediri and Singasari kingdoms, is dotted with numerous temples.

Slender-bodied with high, tiered roofs and decorated in beautiful relief work, most of East Java's temples reflect a syncretism between Hinduism and Buddhism.

But Candi Sumberawan, which takes the form of a stupa, is an exception, as it is the only temple in East Java that is purely Buddhist.

Though diminutive in size compared with the mighty Borobudur in Central Java, its philosophical weight and its significance with regard to water preservation makes it stand out across space and time.

Located at the foot of Mt Arjuna, in the village of Tejasari in Singasari district, the stupa temple lies in the shadow of lush green hills.

A walk along a path some 200 meters long takes the visitor to the secluded site of this ancient temple. Farmers working in the rice fields interspersed with bamboo grooves make for a picturesque scene, and an irrigation canal running alongside the path, fed from a lake in the vicinity of Sumberawan, adds to the rustic country atmosphere.

It is believed that high grounds and water sources are the fav orite dwellings of the gods. And so it is regarded as fitting to build a sanctuary here, to honor the gods.

The people's respect of the sanctuaries also ensures that the water source at Sumberawan ("rawan" meaning lake) is preserved.

This ensures the temple's environs remain a water catchment area, with farmers depending on the lake's water channeled through ancient canals.

The stupa temple has a square foundation about 4 meters on each side, with the fringes rising the temple's foot.

The bell-shaped stupa resting on a cushion in the form of a lotus flower has an octagonal base.

Constructed of andesite blocks, it is devoid of any ornament and does not have a chamber to keep a relic or statue. Its simplicity underlines that it is there just to mark a water source that humans should respect. It was rediscovered in 1904, in what was a densely forested area, and is believed to date back to the 13th or 14th century.

Subsequent restoration work has restored the temple to almost 90 percent of its original shape, but archaeologists searching amid the ruins of the previously collapsed temple have been unable to find the top part of the temple's dome.

Archaeologists have experimented with making a substitute for the missing artifact but, as they cannot be sure of its original shape, the substitutes sit next to a heap of andesite blocks. These blocks could be material for the temple's flooring to help devotees circumambulating the stupa.

Sumberawan is another little piece in East Java's fascinating cultural heritage, but lack of general awareness is the main reason it receives public little attention.

Museums As Cool As The Mall

How long have you been in your city? Twenty years? Thirty years? Do you know the whereabouts of the oldest post office in the city, the first market in the city, or what it was like in the city thirty years ago? I can't imagine much of this, and I think neither can many of the people in my city.

The most common 'heritage trail' in Yogyakarta would take you to the Kraton sultanate and the historical Prambanan temple. Photo courtesy MGallery.

In times of stress, when city life bores you to the bone, going to the mall is a routine that might no longer be refreshing. So as a treat, try a one day trip in your city and explore historical buildings and find out about their past. It will be a surprise, as you'll find new knowledge to be shared with your friends, a new kind experience you will not find in any mall.

The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta offers a heritage inspired stay (as this gamelan player sits near the atrium) and caters to inspiring tours to Prambanan and Borobudur.

It is often thought that history is past, antiquated, and just for the old, unable to attract the masses of young people. But recently, history has gained popularity among the young. Movements to treasure national heritage sites have been generated by many city-dwellers in Indonesia. The antiquity and authenticity of our national heritage is a huge magnet that attracts young people into exploring. Communities of historical interest have sprung up in many forms. There are communities who care for old buildings, old Indonesian culinary heritage, friends of the museums, and so on.

As a result, heritage tourism as an activity is becoming increasingly popular. Efforts by many historical communities are what started to develop the concept of heritage tourism. At least, young people have been awakened and are beginning to appreciate national heritage treasure preservation. It is a sort of education combined with recreation. However, many things should be done that require cooperation from many stakeholders; the government, the business community, and the general public.

One instance of heritage tourism is a historical trail called the 'Bandung Lautan Api' (Bandung Sea of Fire) walking trail, which refers to the historical time of a fiery struggle against Dutch colonial occupation in Indonesia. This historic trail is being promoted by Bandung Trails, the city's leading heritage tour and event organizer, which also has many programs to commemorate the city of Bandung's anniversary. Other than just looking around or window-shopping in this city, it's a better idea to explore the many historical buildings and through the history of this city, which has many things of national and international significance, and get a better glimpse of what its all about. To name a few things, this city ranks ninth in the world for its number of buildings with the art deco architectural style. Indeed, an interesting city to visit for lovers of old buildings.

Efforts to sustain cultural heritage is also flourishing in Jogjakarta. The Jogja Heritage Society for instance has conducted an event called the Jogjakarta Heritage Exploration, which has called for young peoples participation. Not only conducting tours, the society also involves the local community, such as cooperating with the Njeron Beteng Heritage Trail, which produces a guide map and interactive CD with the involvement of the local community. This community is progressing and hopes to involve more thematic heritage areas, such as visitations to many of the obscure temples scattered around Jogjakarta. For communicative purposes, this community produces regular newsletters.

Another interesting program is a trip to ramble through Kota Gede, which was started in 1998. The heritage community here has conducted a village art and culinary heritage inventory that is funded by the World Bank. Kota Gede itself is famous as a remnant of the old Javenese kingdom Mataram, where Kota Gede was once its capital.

In Jakarta, heritage preservation has also grown rapidly. One active community is The Community Who Cares for Indonesian History and Culture (KPSBI), usually just named the Historia community. This community has thousands of members from all walks of life, from students to housewives, local historians to expatriates. This community has vigorously spread the care-virus for history and cultural heritage. One effort is the Jakarta Trail Program, whose aim is to explore historical sites in and around Jakarta. Although the main activity is a city tour, throughout the journey participants will gain heritage knowledge from historical references and guidance.

Other cities in Indonesia are now also starting to develop their own heritage societies. In Surakarta, the local government has enacted a Heritage Law that tries to preserve any historical buildings or other culturally important buildings whose age exceeds fifty years. Through this government initiative, it is hoped that there will be more historic buildings left for the young generation, in order for them to cherish the cultural significance far in the future.

Through these heritage communities, community awareness to treasure national history in a fun way will be developed. Traveling to historical places is now considered to be just as cool as hanging out and shopping in the mall.

It is regrettable that Bali as a world-renowned tourist destination has little appreciation for this heritage preservation. Tourism development in Bali has been focused on panoramic views and cultural events, while historic and cultural heritage has been subjected to change due to renovation, even modernization. The old building of Puri Agung Karangasem for instance, is the only old palace left in Bali whose interior has been changed due to renovation. Many Dutch Colonial buildings in Singaraja have also been changed, and many have even been demolished and replaced with modern structures. The Badung market, the oldest market in Bali, has also been renovated to conform to modernization. Now we can only see that Bali tries to emphasize its beauty through modernization, and to a lesser extent through eco and cultural tourism, but is neglecting heritage preservation. Tourism communities should be aware that heritage tourism is also a potentially important aspect of tourism sustainability in Bali.

---

Several months ago, Accor added its new high end MGallery label to Indonesia, after the repositioning of the Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta (formerly Grand Mercure Yogyakarta). The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta thus became the second MGallery in Asia following the opening earlier this month of the Vie Hotel Bangkok. MGallery is a small collection of highly distinctive, upscale hotels that have an exceptional personality through one or more of four principal elements: Vision, Design, History or Location. Today there are 19 MGallery hotels on 5 continents.

And speaking of heritage, Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta has been selected to join MGallery thanks to its remarkable history aspects and refinement.

Elegantly set in the heart of Yogyakarta, close to the famous Jalan Malioboro and the palace of Yogyakarta Sultanate, the majestic building of The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta dates back to the early 1900s. The setting of the hotel captures the colonial essence enriched with the elegance of Javanese and Chinese decorative features. The ambience is representing a feeling of classical bygone era wrapped in contemporary comfort, an ideal setting for discerning travelers.

The Phoenix Hotel Yogyakarta has launched the "Borobudur City Experience" package for a limited period through June 30. Priced at USD 180 (inclusive of service tax), this offer includes one night stay in a Deluxe room, airport transfers, breakfast, half day visit to the legendary Borobudur temple, car rental and set dinner for 2 persons at its Paprika restaurant.

So when in Yogyakarta, you might want to go for a more 'heritage feel' and add an interesting and memorable highlight to your stay.

www.mgallery.com

Text by Inggit Angela - www.balianbeyond.co.id

Indonesia tourism grows 1.53 percent

Indonesia`s tourism grew 1.35 percent from January to April 2009 with foreign tourist arrivals reaching 1.89 million, up 28,570 from around 1.86 million recorded in the same period last year.

"Despite current global economic crisis our tourism sector is not affected much particularly with regard to tourist arrivals," the director general of marketing of the ministry of tourism and culture, Sapta Nirwandar, said here on Saturday.

He said the growth in the first four months increased optimism that the target of 6.5 million foreign tourist arrivals in the 2009 Visit Indonesia Year would be met. Last year the number of foreign tourist arrivals in the country reached 6.4 millions.

He said the government had taken various promotion and strategic efforts such as intensifying sales missions, sales of cheap tourism packages, promotions in print and electronic media and increasing family trip tourism programs.

"We should be grateful that tourism industry in Indonesia still grew despite current global economic crisis," he said.

He said the condition was not like in neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Thailand or Japan where the growth was negative in the period.

source : tourismindonesia.com

Visited: Indonesia Year 2008

Indonesia: one of the world's most attractive destinations. In an attempt to increase the number of visitors, the 'Visit Indonesia Year 2008' program rolled out. Now, the year ends this month. How did it go?

The island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara. Photo by Djuna Ivereigh

Indonesia, with its diverse locales, unique traditions and natural beauty, is one of the world's most attractive tourism destinations. Unfortunately, even with all its potential, Indonesia is only fourth in Southeast Asia's most often-visited tourist destinations. In an attempt to increase the number of visitors, the Indonesian government promoted Indonesia through the 'Visit Indonesia Year 2008' program.

Jero Wacik, Indonesian Minister of Culture & Tourism, estimated that Indonesia’s tourism had started to recover from the previous ‘crisis’ of tourism arrivals. Photo by Ni Luh Dian Purniawati The waves off Pacitan in East Java are just two among the many beautiful places in Indonesia but of which aren’t widely promoted. Photos by Piping

The most favorite tourist destination in Indonesia is Bali. Bali's uniqueness has become known even since the times of the Dutch. Bali's tourism kept developing rapidly until the bombing incident of 2002 caused tourist arrivals to decrease by 47 %. Another decrease occurred after the second incident in 2005. But Bali didn't require long to recover, as in 2007 the increase in tourist arrivals began and the tourism sector regained its normal pace.

In 2006, the provincial government of Bali announced that Bali was awarded the Best Island Destination by Travel+Leisure in New York. It was a polling that was conducted via 30 thousand respondents. To be noted, it wasn't the first time for Bali.

This was indeed a source of pride for Indonesia. Unfortunately, the condition affirmed Bali's place but left other neighbouring island destinations far behind.

The Indonesian government then took efforts to promote tourism in the archipelago in general so that not only Bali got the world's spotlight. By the end of 2007 the Cultural and Tourism Department launched 'Visit Year (VIY) 2008'. Besides the 'even distribution' of tourism, the program also intended to increase social welfare through the tourism sector. Back in 1991 the government launched a similar program but the result was only a small increase in tourist arrivals, around 400,000 from the previous year.

"We have prepared over 100 events all over Indonesia to get more (international) tourist arrivals," said Jero Wacik, the Cultural and Tourism Minister. The year 2008 was chosen because it coincided with the centennial of the so-called 'national awakening,' which also formed the motto of the program.

In the 6th United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) forum, Jero Wacik estimated that Indonesia's tourism had started to recover from the crisis. In 2004 the international tourist arrivals were 5.32 million, in 2005 it fell to 4.96 million (down 7%,) and in 2006 fell further to 4.87 million (down 2%) before rising to 5.5 million (up13%) in 2007.

In line with the 'Visit Indonesia Year 2008' program, the government optimistically targeted this year's tourist arrival levels to reach 7 million, with foreign exchange value of 6.7 billion US dollars, and in 2009 targets 8 million with a foreign exchange value of 8 billion US dollars.

As of September 2008, the Cultural & Tourism Ministry has recorded 4.5 million tourist arrivals. A third of that number is direct visits to Bali.

I Gede Pitana, the International Promotions Director of the Cultural and Tourism Ministry, stated that the number was relatively high and previously unattained.

From Indonesia's natural wealth point of view, the high arrivals count is as expected. Unfortunately, in the Southeast Asian region Indonesia only comes in fourth place in terms of arrivals. First place went to Singapore with 15 million yearly, second went to Malaysia with 10 million yearly, and third went to Thailand with 10 million.
It must be confessed that there is so much that Indonesia still needs to do. Besides a much more aggressive promotional effort, it needs much more tourism support, namely accommodations, restaurants, transportation, and infrastructure. By now, transport infrastructure in a number of tourism areas is still at a minimum and there is a shortage of professional guide services. In reality there are many potentially winning tourism destinations spread all over the archipelago that aren't even known most of the Indonesian society, due to the lack of promotional efforts.

According to Jero Wacik, only seven of the 33 provinces in Indonesia have self-supportingly and rigorously promoted their tourism, namely Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, Bali, and West Sumatra. The other areas still rely on the central government to promote their tourism.

Since 2007, the government has put up a 'stimulus' budget of Rp 25 billion to five provinces that are considered to be actively developing their tourism. As of this year, there have already been 10 that have received this monetary aid.

In 2008, the total tourism budget was Rp 1.08 trillion. Tourism promotional targets were focused at 12 main tourist markets, namely French, Dutch, British, German, Russian, Japanese, Singaporean, Australian, Korean, Malaysian, and Chinese.

The tourism industry brings a multidimensional effect that opens work fields, suppresses poverty, and becomes a local income source that supports the national economy. Its management needs the government's and private sectors integrative efforts.

This was proven not only by the dedication of the local governments to improve various tourism facilities, ease of immigration services and reliable transport, but also by the roles of the businesses that manage tourism areas and the marketing of unique local products.

"It is time for the local government to put sectoral egos aside and create breakthroughs to develop tourism. One is to develop in synergy close inter-local tourism infrastructures," said Irwan Prayitno, head of the Tenth Commission of the People's House of Representatives.

VIY 2008 is to end this month. But it doesn't mean that the various efforts in Indonesia's tourism follows suit. Gede Pitana once stated that besides the increase in tourist arrivals, another of the important effects of VIY is as stimulant for all areas in Indonesia. We may recall 'Visit Musi Year 2008'. In the beginning of 2009 'Visit Lampung Year 2010' will soon follow, together with 'Visit Babel Archie 2010' and 'Visit Manado 2010'.

Each area has carried out preparations to the maximum. It is a good sign for Indonesia's tourism. And each area has also prepared its own slogan. In one website that promotes Manado (www.visitmanado2010.com) still reads, "Coming Soon. Find The Great Place in Manado." Prepared? ■

Text by Ni Luh Dian Purniawati

Source : www.baliandbeyond.co.id

'Lithic Lore Lindu

The landscape of pristine lowland forests with its strong greenery will attract your eyes as you approach the Lore Lindu National Park. Hills nearby with hushed valleys are one of the best scenes in the park. Above all, the park boasts its mystery of the Central Sulawesi Empire with hundreds of charismatic megaliths.

The Lore Lindu National Park is situated in Central Sulawesi, and is one of Sulawesi's most important biological refuges. It contains large areas of relatively untouched terrain and varied habitats, which include lowlands and upper mountain forests, elfin woodlands, fertile valleys, rivers, lakes, and hot springs.

Megaliths at Lore Lindu are estimated to be about the same age as the Hindu/Buddhists Majapahit era. Several megaliths are similar to those found in Bali’s Pejeng with various forms of sarcophagi. It is possible that the megaliths in Lore Lindu have a connection with the megaliths in Java and Bali. The tallest megalith stands over 4 meters, but most are about 2 meters tall.

You can reach the park in about 5 hours by car from Palu, the capital city of Central Sulawesi. If you plan to visit the park, several home-stays with limited facilities are available, or you could also stay at a local's house in one of the villages within the park. Lore and Lindu's people are friendly with amazing cultures and traditional wisdom. Christianity is the majority religion in Lore Lindu, peacefully coexisting side by side with several Muslim villages within the park.

In 1993, the Indonesian government declared Lore Lindu a National Park with a total area of about 218,000 hectares. Lore Lindu is well known as the habitat of the Maleo bird. This bird inhabits only in the North, Central and Southeast Sulawesi Islands. This beautiful bird has striking black and white plumage with a rosy pink breast, erect tail and a bare helmeted head. If you're lucky enough, you may be able to spot this bird in its most natural habitat when hiking within the park.

Another amazing feature of Lore Lindu is not only its rich biodiversity but also its important position in relation to Central Sulawesi's history. The park has hundreds of ancient megalithic relics, mostly in the Bada, Besoa and Napu Valleys. Megaliths found in Lore Lindu, such as statues, dolmens and menhirs date back thousands of years. They are considered to be the finest stone monuments of their type in Indonesia.

The megaliths at Lore Lindu are estimated to be about the same age as the Hindu/Buddhists Majapahit era. They even have a lot of similar megaliths, such as statues, dolmens and menhirs. Several similar megaliths are those in Pejeng in Bali with their forms of sarcophagi. It is possible that the megaliths in Lore Lindu have a connection with the megaliths in Java and Bali. Various archeological studies date them as early as 3000 BC or as recently as 1300 AD. The tallest megalith stands over 4 meters, but most are about 2 meters tall.

Obviously, the hundreds that are in Lore Lindu have made the park a megalith field. That is why in 1978 UNESCO declared it a Man and Biosphere Reserve. In the mean time, the Lore and Lindu people are reserving all megaliths in full-respect for their ancestors. For a while, the local government maintained the megaliths as historical assets as well as tourist attractions.

In general, the megaliths in Lore Lindu are twisted from limestone. At the time of the Donggala Kingdom, one of the biggest empires in Central Sulawesi, most all equipment for daily life was created from limestone and some things even from metal. The King and his family's statues and giant bowls were all from limestone. The biggest human statue measured about 4 meters high, and the rest are about 1.5 meters. Each statue has a gender, and the faces are stylized human faces with eyebrows and nose in one line.

But not all megaliths can be effortlessly visited by car, sometimes you must go on foot for about an hour. Still it is worth it, since you will be able to witness the amazing megaliths with all their charisma, as well see the beautiful landscape of the park with the welcoming of the locals. For you who have no time to visit Lore Lindu National Park, you could visit the Museum in Palu. The museum has artificial replicas of all the megaliths, as well as a complete history of the Donggala Empire. You can get all the information you need about the megaliths from the professional curators.

Click here for detail.

One of the interesting stories from this area is about Tadulako. He is a Donggala hero, for he struggled along with the brave Donggala people to claim freedom from the colonial powers. At the time, the Central Sulawesi people gave full-respect to Tadulako and regarded him as their hero. The biggest university in Central Sulawesi and the main street in Palu are named after him.

As an incredible place of stunning forest biodiversity and as a marvelous megalithic field, Lore Lindu National Park needs support for its protection and conservation. It is all for the Lore and Lindu people who live in harmony with nature, as well as one of Indonesia's Kingdom heritage sites. ■

Text and photos by Marthen Welly

Source : www.baliandbeyond.co.id